This disclosure relates in general to searching and, more specifically, but not by way of limitation, to an electronic search engine.
Searching for information with a computer is frustrating. There are local searches, Internet search engines, web site search fields, etc. Some search features use a Boolean search format, while others use natural language. Even those that use the Boolean search function have wildly varying syntax. Effective searching is not practical except for the most determined and sophisticated users.
Conventionally, each search engine has its own interface and syntax. Interfaces can have command lines, check boxes and other controls that allow describing a search query. The syntax is somewhat standardized between different search engines with many relying upon some variation of Boolean syntax. Effective searching relies upon knowledge of the semi-custom syntax and interface for each search engine.
There are metacrawlers that are a search engine or a software program that displays results from multiple search engines. For example, DogPile™ can take a given search query and provide results from a number of search engines. There are similar metacrawlers that search databases of all types such as travel databases and auction listings. The listings from these multiple search engines are displayed in a unified readout.